COVID-19 Homeowner & Renter Information

COVID-19 is creating a lot of questions, and for homeowners, landlords, and renters, the details matter. Most recently, Governor Gavin Newsom announced an Executive Order banning the enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by COVID-19 through May 31, 2020. This action builds on a previous order that authorizes local governments to halt evictions, slow foreclosures, and protect Californians against utility shut-offs.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that it is suspending foreclosures for homeowners and prohibiting evictions of renters living in homes with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac for at least 60 days. For more information, see the FHFA website.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is also halting foreclosures for homeowners with mortgages under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for 60 days. In addition, evictions are suspended for renters living in single-family properties with FHA-insured mortgages. For more information, refer to the HUD letter found here.

Governor Newsom recently issued an executive order that provides relief for late property tax payments. Normally, property taxes are paid in two installments, the first in December and the second the following April. Payments made later than Dec. 10 and April 10 incur a 10% penalty.

The executive order waives penalties for property taxes paid after April 10 for taxpayers who demonstrate they have experienced financial hardship, or otherwise were unable to make payment of taxes in a timely fashion due to the COVID-19 pandemic through May 6, 2021. This will apply to residential properties and businesses that qualify as a small business under the Small Business Administration’s Regulations Code.

The county tax collector’s authority to provide relief under the executive order does not include properties for which taxes are paid through an impound account, for example by a mortgage lender.

Additional information, including the required forms to request a waiver of penalties, are available on these websites:

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Extends Protections for Renters

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, May 12, extended a moratorium on evictions through June 30. The moratorium was set to expire on May 31. The temporary moratorium imposes a ban on evictions for all residential and commercial tenants in unincorporated Los Angeles County impacted by the COVID-19 crisis beginning March 4, 2020 through June 30, 2020. The Board will re-evaluate the moratorium every 30 days after that.

In addition to unincorporated areas of the county, it will apply to cities without moratoriums of their own. Tenants will have twelve (12) months following the end of the moratorium period to pay back any amount owed.

Cities within the 41st Assembly District, which have a temporary moratorium on residential and commercial evictions, include Pasadena and South Pasadena. The City of Monrovia has a moratorium on residential evictions.

On March 31, 2020, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors issued an executive order placing a temporary rent freeze on rent stabilized units in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The temporary rent freeze means that owners of rent-stabilized units in unincorporated Los Angeles County may not increase rent during the moratorium period.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs by phone at (833) 223-7368 or online at rent.lacounty.gov.